Residential VoIP Services
How to Compare VoIP Services and Select the Best

First generation residential VoIP services are having a tough time competing with the new players. In the old days they could lock customers in with contracts and proprietary technology, but not for much longer. Consumers are now more familiar with the technology and the traps. They can choose between dozens of VoIP service providers and secure a cheap home phone service without needing to sign up for a year, month or even a week. Furthermore online phone services are getting cheaper all the time.

Vonage Phone Service

Way back in 2001 when the Vonage telephone service secured it's first subscriber, residential VoIP services were regarded by many as bleeding edge. Vonage did a great job of making the technology accessible to consumers. It made switching from a land line phone service to a VoIP home phone service a plug-n-play affair. It was achieved by bundling a Vonage phone adapter with an agreement to use the service for a minimum term. The formula worked and at the end of 2009 there were some 2.5 million subscribers. Can Vonage continue growing subscriber numbers? We doubt it.

VoIP Phone Service Review

The latest crop of residential VoIP services fall into three categories: cheap, cheaper and free VoIP services:

1. A residential home phone service based on the Vonage model, but with two main differences: (a) cheaper, and (b) use the SIP standard. For examples see: Which Cheap Residential Phone Service?

2. VoIP services based on the SIP standard where consumers are encouraged to use their own devices: VoIP adapters, VoIP cordless phones etc. Users require some technical ability to configure their equipment, but not a lot. Most voice service providers (VSPs) are helpful. If they aren't switch. There are thousands to choose from: List of VSP's.

3. Amazingly there are also free VoIP phone services and some are excellent. Ooma is very impressive. It enables users to make free online phone calls, but first they must buy an Ooma phone. The phones aren't expensive and they can interconnect with existing analog handsets and cordless phones. For more information: Free Home Phone Service.

Compare VoIP Services

Switching from a land line to a VoIP home phone service is a sure fire way of saving money, but not every option is right for everyone. In our case we like to have as much discretion as possible and avoid any kind of lock-in to a provider. We use VoIP cordless phones that enable us to use multiple VSP's to achieve very cheap call rates wherever we are. On the other hand if you want a plug'n-play solution and live in the U.S. there's no better deal than an Ooma phone.

The Future of Residential VoIP Services

Many people don't understand how Ooma and others can offer free online phone calls and stay in business. They overlook the fact that these companies have next to no network costs. They use the Internet to carry voice and the subscriber pays the bill.

While we may think that Ooma and others are voice over IP providers, they're actually in the business of selling phones. Free phone services are an effective way of getting attention and differentiating products. Some Panasonic and Siemens cordless VoIP phones also give access to a free online phone service. It's a revolutionary model that could make a free home phone service accessible to everyone.

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